News Summary
The Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board has voted to close Flowery Elementary at the end of the 2025-26 academic year due to declining enrollment and financial struggles. The decision, backed by four board members, marks the third school closure in the district as part of a consolidation initiative started in 2022. Community members have raised concerns about the impact on families and the diverse student population while a transition plan for remaining schools is being developed.
Sonoma – The Sonoma Valley Unified School District Board of Trustees has officially voted to close Flowery Elementary School at the end of the 2025-26 academic year. This decision was confirmed during a regular board meeting, in which the vote concluded with four members in favor and one opposing.
The board’s vote came after acknowledging the ongoing issues of declining enrollment and financial struggles impacting the district. Flowery Elementary, which currently serves 363 students, has the highest enrollment among the district’s elementary schools but the lowest capacity of 440 students. The need for significant physical upgrades at the school was also a contributing factor in the closure decision.
This closure marks the third instance of school shutdowns within the district, following previous closures of Dunbar Elementary School and Adele Harrison Middle School. These closures are a result of a consolidation initiative launched in 2022 aimed at addressing ongoing budget shortfalls and declining student numbers.
While the majority of board members supported the closure, the decision was met with public backlash highlighting its impact on the diverse student population and the significance of Flowery Elementary to the Springs community. Community members expressed concerns over how the closure would affect vulnerable families, pointing out that more time and consideration of community input were warranted prior to making such a significant decision.
Flowery Elementary’s closure necessitates a reorganization plan that includes relocating its dual immersion program and adjusting grade levels among the remaining schools within the district. Potential sites for relocating the immersion program include El Verano and Sassarini Elementary Schools. The administration has been instructed to explore these options further as part of the transition process.
Current enrollment data reveals that the district now has a total of 1,254 K-5 students enrolled, with a combined capacity of 1,999 across its elementary schools. This translates to a utilization rate of approximately 62.7%. After the closure of Flowery Elementary, the remaining schools will accommodate a total of 1,559 students, raising the utilization rate to 80.4%.
Since 1999, the district’s K-12 enrollment has experienced a dramatic decline of 39.4%, and projections indicate a continued decrease in student numbers moving forward. Financially, the district anticipates a deficit of roughly $2.98 million for the 2024-25 school year, alongside expected ongoing financial difficulties in subsequent years.
In addition to the decision concerning Flowery Elementary, the board voted to cut 40 classified employee positions and 14 certificated positions, aiming to achieve savings of approximately $2.91 million. These budget cuts are part of a broader strategy to stabilize the district’s financial position amidst escalating challenges.
It is important to note that the decision to close Flowery Elementary is pending further development of a detailed transition plan, adjustments in school boundaries, and compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), ensuring that all regulatory requirements are met during this process.
As the district moves forward with its plans, stakeholders will be monitoring the situation closely, aiming to understand the overall implications of the closure for the community and the remaining students.
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Additional Resources
- Press Democrat: Sonoma Valley Elementary School Closure
- Sonoma News: Flowery Elementary School Closure
- Sonoma Sun: Trustees Reevaluate School Closures
- Sonoma County Gazette: Bilingual School Closure Vote
- Sonoma News: Overview of Sonoma School Closures
- Wikipedia: School Closure
- Google Search: Sonoma Valley School Closure
- Google Scholar: Sonoma Valley School Closure
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Sonoma Valley
- Google News: Sonoma Valley School Closure

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